Business

Master of Science in Land Resource Management

The Master of Science in Land Resource Management is a postgraduate programme that prepares professionals for advanced practice in land resource assessment, soil management, land use planning, and environmental conservation. The programme combines natural resource science with management principles, policy analysis, and research application.

Core areas include land resource assessment, soil science, land use planning, environmental management, GIS and remote sensing, land degradation, sustainable land management, research methods, and thesis. Students engage with both theoretical and practical work through coursework, field work, laboratory sessions, and research.

The programme is offered by Maasai Mara University as MSc in Land Resource Management through the School of Natural Resources, Environmental Studies and Agriculture. MMARAU is a public university offering the programme over two academic years through full-time and part-time modes of study.

Students develop competencies in land resource assessment, soil analysis, land use planning, GIS applications, and environmental conservation. The programme includes coursework, examinations, field work, laboratory sessions, and a supervised research thesis, preparing graduates to address land degradation and sustainable land management challenges.

MMARAU charges approximately KES 178,000/year (KES 356,000 total) for MSc programmes, with an additional KES 20,000/year laboratory fee for lab-based programmes. Entry requires a Bachelor's degree with at least Second Class Honours in agriculture, environmental science, land resources, or related fields from a recognised institution.

Graduates pursue careers as land resource managers, environmental planners, soil scientists, GIS specialists, land use planners, and lecturers in land resources across government ministries, county governments, NGOs, research institutions, and universities.

Skills Required

Land Resource Assessment and Mapping
Soil Science and Management
Land Use Planning and Zoning
Environmental Management and Conservation
GIS and Remote Sensing Applications
Land Degradation Assessment and Rehabilitation
Sustainable Land Management
Land Policy and Governance
Research Methods in Land Resources
Academic Writing and Thesis Research

Key Subjects

Land Resource Assessment and Mapping
Soil Science and Management
Land Use Planning and Zoning
Environmental Management and Conservation
GIS and Remote Sensing Applications
Land Degradation Assessment and Rehabilitation
Sustainable Land Management
Land Policy and Governance
Research Methods in Land Resources
Thesis Research

Certifications

NEMA Environmental Certification
IUCN Conservation Certification

Specializations

Soil Science

Focuses on soil science, covering classification, fertility, chemistry, physics, and managing soil resources.

Land Use Planning

Examines land use planning, covering zoning, allocation, planning, management, and managing land use.

Environmental Conservation

Covers environmental conservation, covering protection, restoration, biodiversity, management, and managing conservation.

GIS and Remote Sensing

Focuses on GIS and remote sensing, covering mapping, analysis, monitoring, applications, and managing spatial data.

Land Degradation

Examines land degradation, covering erosion, desertification, assessment, rehabilitation, and managing land degradation.

Sustainable Land Management

Covers sustainable land management, covering practices, policies, conservation, productivity, and managing sustainable land use.

Duration: 2 years
Public, up to: Ksh 178,000
Private, up to: Ksh 700,000
Job market: Moderate

The programme

What you study, how long it takes, and how it is delivered.

Practicalities

Study mode: Full-time, Part-time
Attachment: 0 months
Average class: 15 students
Award: Masters

What you study

10 subjects

Land Resource Assessment and Mapping
Soil Science and Management
Land Use Planning and Zoning
Environmental Management and Conservation
GIS and Remote Sensing Applications
Land Degradation Assessment and Rehabilitation
Sustainable Land Management
Land Policy and Governance
Research Methods in Land Resources
Thesis Research

Modules

12 in the programme

Land Resource Assessment and Classification
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Examines surveying, classification, evaluation, mapping, and managing land resources.
Soil Science and Management
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Covers classification, fertility, chemistry, physics, biology, and managing soil resources.
Research Methods in Land Resources
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Covers research design, data collection, analysis, land research methods, and conducting research, preparing students for their thesis.
GIS and Remote Sensing for Land Management
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Examines mapping, analysis, remote sensing, modelling, software, and managing spatial data.
Land Use Planning and Zoning
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Covers zoning, allocation, planning, management, policy, and managing land use.
Environmental Management and Conservation
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Examines protection, conservation, restoration, biodiversity, assessment, and managing environmental resources.
Land Degradation and Rehabilitation
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Covers erosion, desertification, assessment, rehabilitation, restoration, and managing land degradation.
Sustainable Land Management Practices
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Examines practices, policies, conservation, productivity, sustainability, and managing sustainable land use.
Land Policy and Governance
Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore
Covers policy, law, tenure, governance, administration, and managing land policy.
Climate Change and Land Resources
Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore
Examines climate, impacts, adaptation, mitigation, vulnerability, and managing climate change impacts on land.
Watershed and Catchment Management
Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore
Covers watersheds, catchments, management, conservation, rehabilitation, and managing watershed resources.
Research Thesis
Year 2Semester 29 creditsCore
Original supervised research thesis on a land resource management topic, demonstrating mastery of research methods and land resource knowledge, assessed through written submission and oral defence.

Specialisations

Soil Science
Focuses on soil science, covering classification, fertility, chemistry, physics, and managing soil resources.
Land Use Planning
Examines land use planning, covering zoning, allocation, planning, management, and managing land use.
Environmental Conservation
Covers environmental conservation, covering protection, restoration, biodiversity, management, and managing conservation.
GIS and Remote Sensing
Focuses on GIS and remote sensing, covering mapping, analysis, monitoring, applications, and managing spatial data.
Land Degradation
Examines land degradation, covering erosion, desertification, assessment, rehabilitation, and managing land degradation.
Sustainable Land Management
Covers sustainable land management, covering practices, policies, conservation, productivity, and managing sustainable land use.

A day as a student

A typical day during the MSc in Land Resource Management programme combines lectures, field work, laboratory sessions, seminars, and independent study. Sessions cover land resource assessment, soil science, land use planning, environmental management, and GIS. Land resource assessment sessions examine surveying, classification, evaluation, mapping, and managing land resources. Soil science sessions cover classification, fertility, chemistry, physics, biology, and managing soil resources. Land use planning sessions cover zoning, allocation, planning, management, policy, and managing land use. Environmental management sessions cover protection, conservation, restoration, assessment, and managing environmental resources. GIS sessions cover mapping, analysis, remote sensing, modelling, and managing spatial data. Land degradation sessions cover erosion, desertification, assessment, rehabilitation, and managing land degradation. Sustainable land management sessions cover practices, policies, conservation, productivity, and managing sustainable land use. Research methods sessions prepare students for their thesis, covering research design, data collection, and analysis. Field work provides hands-on experience with land surveys, soil sampling, and site assessments. Laboratory sessions provide hands-on experience with soil analysis, GIS software, and remote sensing tools. Seminars provide opportunities for presenting research findings and debating current issues in land resource management. Guest lectures from experienced land managers, environmental planners, and soil scientists provide practical insights. The programme culminates in a supervised research thesis on a land resource management topic.

The trade offs

In its favour

Programme addresses critical land degradation and food security challenges in Kenya.
MMARAU offers competitive fees at approximately KES 178,000/year for a public university.
Programme combines field work, laboratory sessions, and GIS, providing comprehensive practical experience.
Graduates are eligible for NEMA and IUCN certifications, enhancing professional recognition.

Against it

Only one university (MMARAU, public) confirmed offering this specific programme.
No private university confirmed offering this programme.
Programme requires agriculture, environmental, or related background, limiting access for non-related graduates.
Additional KES 20,000/year laboratory fee applies for this lab-based programme.

What it costs

Tuition at both ends of the market, and how to pay for it.

What it costs, and where

Against 331 business courses

Public178k to 178k

178k at Maasai Mara University178k at Maasai Mara University

Private119k to 700k

119k at Mount Kenya University700k at Strathmore University

Annual tuition in Kenyan shillings, rounded. The upright tick is the median for this field, so a bar sitting entirely to its right is an expensive programme by the standards of its own subject.

The fine print

Maasai Mara ~178K/yr (MMU fee PDF). Private unverified.

HELB postgraduate loans are available for Kenyan students. MMARAU may offer scholarships for eligible students. IUCN may offer research grants for conservation research. Some NGOs, government agencies, and county governments may sponsor staff for postgraduate study.

Funding options

HELB Postgraduate Loan
MMARAU Scholarship
IUCN Research Grant

Scholarships

3 recorded

HELB Postgraduate Loan
LoanKsh 200,000Kenyan
Kenyan students pursuing postgraduate studies at recognised universities.
MMARAU Scholarship
ScholarshipKsh 150,000Kenyan
Maasai Mara University offers scholarships for eligible postgraduate students.
IUCN Research Grant
ScholarshipKsh 300,000
IUCN provides research grants for conservation and land resource research.

Getting in

The grades, the alternatives, and who accredits the award.

What you need

KCSE mean grade: N/A (Postgraduate)
Alternative entry: MMARAU requires a Bachelor's degree with at least Second Class Honours (Upper Division) in a relevant field, or Lower Second with at least two years of post-qualification work experience, or a Pass degree plus a Postgraduate Diploma in a relevant field. Contact the university for specific admission requirements.

How you are assessed

4 components

Coursework and Continuous Assessment
Coursework30% of the mark
Continuous assessment through coursework assignments, field reports, laboratory reports, seminar presentations, and class participation.
Written Examinations
Examination70% of the mark
Written examinations covering land resource assessment, soil science, land use planning, and environmental management.
Practical and Field Assessment
Practical40% of the mark
Practical assessment through field work, laboratory work, GIS projects, and demonstrating land resource skills.
Research Thesis
Research100% of the mark
Original supervised research thesis on a land resource management topic, demonstrating mastery of research methods and land resource knowledge, assessed through written submission and oral defence.

Accreditation

The programme is accredited by the Commission for University Education (CUE). Maasai Mara University (public) offers MSc in Land Resource Management through the School of Natural Resources, Environmental Studies and Agriculture. The programme meets CUE standards for postgraduate training in land resource management. Graduates are eligible for NEMA environmental certification and IUCN conservation certification.

Accredited by

Commission for University Education (CUE)
Academic accreditationRequired
Programme accredited by CUE. Maasai Mara University (public) offers MSc in Land Resource Management through the School of Natural Resources, Environmental Studies and Agriculture. The programme meets CUE standards for postgraduate training in land resource management. Graduates are eligible for NEMA environmental certification and IUCN conservation certification.

Where it leads

The roles it opens, and what you leave with.

Where graduates go

6 roles

Land Resource Manager
Moderate demandKsh 90,000 to Ksh 400,000
Manages land resources, overseeing assessment, planning, conservation, and managing land resources.
Environmental Planner
Moderate demandKsh 90,000 to Ksh 400,000
Plans environmental management, overseeing assessment, planning, conservation, and managing environmental planning.
Soil Scientist
Moderate demandKsh 90,000 to Ksh 400,000
Conducts soil science research, overseeing analysis, classification, fertility, and managing soil resources.
GIS Specialist
High demandKsh 100,000 to Ksh 450,000
Manages GIS operations, overseeing mapping, analysis, modelling, and managing spatial data.
Land Use Planner
Moderate demandKsh 90,000 to Ksh 400,000
Plans land use, overseeing zoning, allocation, management, and managing land use planning.
Land Resources Lecturer
Moderate demandKsh 100,000 to Ksh 450,000
Teaches land resources at university or college level, overseeing instruction, research, and academic supervision.

Graduate outcomes

Where these fields lead

8 careers

Tools you will learn

ArcGIS
SoftwarePrimary
ArcGIS for GIS analysis, covering mapping, analysis, modelling, and managing spatial data.
QGIS
Software
QGIS for open-source GIS, covering mapping, analysis, visualisation, and managing spatial data.
SPSS
Software
SPSS for statistical analysis, covering data, statistics, analysis, and managing research data.
Google Earth Engine
Software
Google Earth Engine for remote sensing, covering satellite, analysis, monitoring, and managing earth observation data.

Industry links

Common misconceptions

Land resource management is just about farming.
Land resource management covers comprehensive assessment, soil science, planning, conservation, and policy beyond just farming.
This programme is only for agriculturists.
Land resource skills are valuable for planners, environmentalists, GIS specialists, and policy analysts beyond just agriculturists.
Soil science is just about dirt.
Soil science covers comprehensive classification, fertility, chemistry, physics, and biology beyond just dirt.
Land use planning is just about drawing maps.
Land use planning covers comprehensive zoning, allocation, policy, management, and sustainability beyond just drawing maps.
GIS is just about navigation.
GIS covers comprehensive mapping, analysis, remote sensing, modelling, and applications beyond just navigation.
This programme has limited career prospects.
Land resource graduates work in diverse sectors including government, counties, NGOs, research, consulting, and education.